Thunderbirds Are Go!
Halloween Specials 2021 Edition
Disclaimer: All rights reserved. I do not own Thunderbirds or any affiliated characters with the show.
The Vampire of Highgate Cemetery
By John Tracy
This incident took place around a time when I was taking some time off from my duties. Space had taken a toll on my physical well-being even though Thunderbird 5 was my sanctuary. Dad insisted that Alan took over for me while I took a month or two to relax and catch up with the rest of the family. Virgil and Gordon were out on a call to the North Sea while Scott returned from his flight tests. I sat there with Kayo on the circular sofa in front of the TV when Dad called us over. Scott entered the lounge at the same time and the three of us gathered around his desk. He received a message from Alan who claimed that he intercepted a call coming from London. His miniature-sized hologram floated freely above his desk with a puzzled look on his face.
"Dad, I received a weird call coming from Highgate Cemetery in London," he said. "It sounds as if two people have gotten lost from a late-night tour group and can't find their way out again. Security tried to locate them but couldn't get a fix on their position. Thought I'd report it anyway."
Scott looked at me and shrugged. "I guess John and I could fly out there and start a search. It'll give us something to do plus John could do with a trip outside of the island."
Jeff looked at us for a moment and then nodded.
"Alright, boys. Away you go," he said with a smile. "Launch Thunderbird One and go and check it out."
A short while later, I accompanied Scott inside the cabin of Thunderbird One. I hadn't taken a trip in her for years and I must admit, it felt good to take part in a rescue that didn't require my flight pack. Day swiftly turned into the night when we crossed the English coast and flew towards the neon haze of London. A thick fog rolled in from the west, flooding the streets in and around the cemetery. Before I continue with the story, I'll share a little background information with you about the location. Highgate Cemetery was built in 1839 and is one of the last remnants of ancient London. Some of the most prolific people in history were buried there, where to this day, they are gazed upon by thousands of people who take private tours of the area. It was run by a private company until 1970 where it was deemed no longer profitable and was left into ruin. Mother nature soon reclaimed the site as the complex of morgues and catacombs shared their residency with the tress and vines. Today, it is run by a trust who raise money from tours and fundraiser to help maintain the site with the hopes that it will remain as a protected monument from the past.
Naturally, there was a treasure trove of ghost stories that accompanied the site. The cult activity was reported in the area and the cemetery even acquired the status of being home to a vampire. This mysterious Highgate Vampire was spotted by numerous people between 1967 and 1984. The thought of being watched by a 7-foot shadow figure with red eyes isn't the slightest bit appealing. Now, on with the story. When we arrived at the area, we landed in a parking lot that sat across the street from the west gate. The gate was open, but it wasn't guarded which suggested that the nightwatchman could have been inside. The thick fog along with the luminescent glow of the street lights provided an unsettling atmosphere. It felt like we had stepped into a scene from a gothic horror movie. The main path presented multiple smaller paths that branched off into rows upon rows of graves stones and mausoleums. The accompanying trees manifested all kinds of shapes in the dark, easily fooling one's mind into thinking that they were being watched. The concrete walls amplified the sound of our footsteps, leaving us to believe that we weren't alone. The dim lights illuminated the stone paths well enough for us to find our way, but after a while, our eyes adjusted to the dark. We had walked a short distance when we arrived at the central circle of the cemetery. There, we found a marble archway and a path that ran into the Eastern part of the site. As we took a moment to get our bearings and to listen out for any cries for help, I let my imagination wander. The fact that certain figures like Karl Heinrich Marx, the father of Communism, Charles Dickens's wife and daughter, William Friese-Greene, the inventor of cinematography and Rowland Hill, the originator of modern postal service were all buried here threw me into the realm of amazement. I could have marvelled at their unique and foreboding headstones that marked their contributions to the city whether you regarded them highly or not.
As I stood there, awestruck by the sheer magnitude of the place, I was swiftly snapped out of my trance like state. Scott had found a lead. Two blips appeared on his wrist hologram, mapping the location of the two missing people. I reset my focus on the mission and proceeded to follow my brother into the Eastern wing of the cemetery. There, the atmosphere took on an even darker tone. It felt as if we were being watched by prying eyes that observed us from the rows of catacombs. They were stacked on top of each other, isolating the ambient sounds from the city which were but a short distance away. As Central London continued to beat well into the night, the slumbering cemetery stirred. The fog enveloped the ground around our feet as the light evaporated, plunging us into the pitch black of the night. Scott passed me an emergency glow stick which bathed our surroundings in an eerie green glow. Before we could take another step, we heard a panicked voice echo from amongst the catacombs. As we advanced towards it, we could see the flickering beam of a flashlight cut through the fog.
Turning the corner, we found the two missing tourists. They were both cold, their faces white as a sheet and each had the look of fear in their eyes. One of them was a short, blond hair woman and the other was a tall, slender man about my height with a long dark beard. Both of them looked to be in their early 40's and had donned thick coats and wool hats to protect them from the cold. The woman stepped forward, introducing themselves as 'Saskia' and 'Ralph.' Scott made the formal introductions as he put them at ease with a warm smile. Despite their persistent trembling, they explained to us what had happened to them.
"We had taken a late-night tour of the cemetery when we lost them in the fog," Saskia explained. "When we tried to look for them, we saw something move through the fog towards us. It was...big….really big. I...we got frightened and…."
"It was like a huge shadow person!" Ralph added as he held Saskia close. "It charged towards us without making a sound. We managed to duck and hide, hoping we could lose it. We don't know where it went, but we were too scared to move."
Scott raised an eyebrow as he looked at them. "A large shadow figure? Well, we came in through the west gate and we didn't see anything. We'll escort you outside and you'll be safe in no time. Come on. I remember the way."
Only, he didn't remember the way. As we tried to retrace our steps, it soon became apparent that we were lost. The fog impeded our sense of direction as it swept up and over the large mausoleums and crypts. We could hear the sound of a bell ringing in the distance. It sounded as if a phantom had awakened its companions because of our unwelcoming presence. Despite his steel, unwavering demeanour, the sound sent a chill down Scott's spine as so the rest of us. With a wave of a hand, he beckoned us to follow him. We soon closed in towards the West Wing of the cemetery when the atmosphere took another sinister turn. The sounds of shifting began to echo tumultuously, stifling the echoes of our footsteps. Gravestones moved and shuddered as if something had passed underneath them, and the long lamp posts started to flicker rhythmically.
"I think we stirred something, Scott," I whispered as my flight or fight response kicked into gear. "I don't like this one bit!"
"I agree with you bro, but I can't seem to find the gate anywhere!" Scott replied dumbfounded. "It feels as if this place has grown since we arrived."
"That's what we thought too." agreed Ralph who had managed to compose himself in the meantime.
Blind sighted by the dark, we hurried along the main stone path when began to wind and narrow. The mass of gravestones and catacombs towered above us now and the feeling of being watched intensified. That was when we saw it. The very entity that had been following us for some time. The very entity that terrified Saskia and Ralph. It rose slowly from the top of a locked mausoleum, staring upon us with two glowing red eyes. It raised itself to full height, revealing its long and slender shape which could be made out against the dark canvass of trees. It was free-floating, gliding amongst the concrete tombs without effort or exertion and where ever it moved, a cold, bone-chilling wind accompanied it. My eyes widened as my jaw dropped open. Was this the elusive vampire that was said to dwell here?
Just to clarify, this didn't look like your typical vampire but was said to be responsible for the numerous animal deaths that were discovered on the property. All of which had the blood drained from their necks. It did, however, have the slender shape and build one would expect from a vampire. I'd like to cite Nosferatu as a prime example. It matched the descriptions perfectly as this thing stood 7 feet tall. As it moved, it instilled a wave of dread over us, gripping us like a vice. Its slender fingers danced under the glow of the light as it glided over the path in front of us. It didn't lunge towards us, however. We watched as it tilted its head to one side, trying to make us out. Saskia let out a yelp which startled this thing. It hissed at us like a cat when provoked and moved towards us.
Ralph and Saskia trembled on the spot, but Scott and I felt differently about this. With a growl he lunged at the shadow being, half expecting it to be a prankster in a Halloween costume. However, his theory was soon quashed when he threw a punch at the thing and watch his hand travel straight through it. An ice-cold static sensation crawled up his arm as he did this, forcing him to leap back. I watched him lose his composure as he looked back at us all and yelled;
"Run! Quickly!"
We bolted down the patch, through the cemetery that looked as if it wanted to devour us whole. I glanced back periodically to see this shadow entity pursue us silently through the fog. The cobbled street rattled from the sound of our feet as the trees swayed around in the breeze. The shadow repeatedly hissed at us as I heard it swat the air with its long, unearthly fingers. Finally, after what seemed to be an eternity, we found the western gate, still open from when we found it. Scott pushed us through it, into the relative safety of the street. As we stood there, bewildered and shaken by the experience, I turned back to face the dark cemetery. The shadow figure gazed at us from within the confines of the cemetery, hissed loudly and vanished into the night. Scott later elaborated that he had seen it slink towards the side of a tomb and vanish through it.
Our hearts rang in our chests, footsore, weary and drenched in sweat. We remained for a while until we were able to steady ourselves when we escorted the pair towards the lively streets nearby. We waved them off, content with the sense that we were now safe. We returned to Thunderbird One, catching one last glimpse of the ancient cemetery. I was frightened beyond belief, but I would be lying if I said that the area didn't fascinate me. We headed home and shared our incredible encounter with the rest of the family. The story was met with a mixed reception, but in our defence, they had to have been there. I plan on visiting the cemetery again but under the strict supervision of a tour guide. I want to see in under the light of day, to appreciate the masonry and stone structures and most of all, to pay my respects to those who reside there. As for the legend of the Highgate Vampire, I believe we saw it that night, but I can't be sure if it was the definite article. To tell you the truth, I don't think I'll ever know.